Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Abu Sueir

Date & Time: May 11, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.10 Oxford
Operator:
Registration:
L4652
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Abu Sueir - Abu Sueir
MSN:
119
YOM:
1938
Location:
Abu Sueir
Ismailia
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll, the twin engine airplane swerved, veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. Both pilots were uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Dewoitine D.338 in Argana: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1939 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Dewoitine D.338
Operator:
Registration:
F-ARIC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dakar – Casablanca – Paris
MSN:
25
YOM:
1939
Location:
Argana
Souss-Massa-Drâa
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft departed Dakar at 0600LT bound for Casablanca. At 1530LT, the crew was informed by a radio message that weather was deteriorating ahead with clouds and negative temperatures. Few minutes later, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a mountainous area located near Argana, some 50 km northeast of Agadir. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
Yves Ripault, pilot,
Roger Perrot, radio navigator,
Eugène Courson, engineer.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight following sudden icing conditions caused by unpredictable weather.

Crash of a Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat off Lumbo: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat
Operator:
Registration:
G-ADVD
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
London – Cairo – Mombasa – Dar es-Salaam – Lumbo – Maputo – Johannesburg
MSN:
S.821
YOM:
1935
Location:
Lumbo
Nampula
Country:
Mozambique
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was forced to abandon a first landing attempt off Lumbo for unknown reason. During the second attempt, the seaplane named 'Challenger' impacted the water surface and came to rest off the Ilha de Mocambique Island. Two crew members, the radio officer Tom Webb and the flight clerc George Knight were killed while all four other occupants were injured. The cockpit separated from the fuselage upon impact.

Crash of a Farman F.222 in Metlili: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1939 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.220/F.224
Operator:
Registration:
L-226
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Blida – Casablanca
MSN:
31
YOM:
1940
Location:
Metlili
Oriental
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
En route from Blida to Casablanca, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft crashed near the bus station of Metlili. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Caudron C.635 Simoun in Morondava: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1939 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Caudron C.630/C.635 Simoun
Operator:
Registration:
F-AOOT
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Antananarivo – Morondava – Ihosy
MSN:
7372.53
YOM:
1937
Location:
Morondava
Toliara Province
Country:
Madagascar
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a mail flight from Antananarivo to Ihosy with an intermediate stop in Morondava. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the engine failed. Following a distance of 1,500 metres, the aircraft stalled, hit a tree and crashed in a field. The pilot was killed and the flight engineer was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Jacques Ringel, pilot,
Roland Chollet, flight engineer.
Probable cause:
According to the expert from Bureau Veritas, the engine failure was caused by a defect of the fuel supply system.

Crash of a Percival P.10 Vega Gull near Bardaï

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Percival P.10 Vega Gull
Operator:
Jean Morel de Foucaucourt
Registration:
F-AQIR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Algiers - Faya-Largeau - Antananarivo
MSN:
K.104
YOM:
1937
Location:
Bardaï
Tibesti
Country:
Chad
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot/owner Jean Morel de Foucaucourt and his wife were performing a flight from France to Antananarivo, Madagascar, with several intermediate stops in Africa. On its way from Algiers to Faya-Largeau, Chad, the pilot encountered technical problems and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a desert area located in Tibesti and was damaged beyond repair and abandoned in situ. Both occupants were quickly rescued.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth in Kitale

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1939
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VP-KAY
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Njoro – Kitale
MSN:
2076
YOM:
1933
Location:
Kitale
Rift Valley
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing in Kitale. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all three occupants were injured.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth in Iringa

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1939
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth
Operator:
Registration:
VP-KBP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
7107
YOM:
1935
Location:
Iringa
Iringa Region
Country:
Tanzania
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off for unknown reason. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly in Kasama

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1939
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly
Operator:
Registration:
VP-YBR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
7503
YOM:
1936
Location:
Kasama
Northern
Country:
Zambia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Salisbury, the pilot encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft came to rest upside down and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly in Gwelo

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1938
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly
Operator:
Registration:
VP-YAX
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Blantyre – Lilongwe – Fort Jameson
MSN:
7512
YOM:
1936
Location:
Gwelo (Gweru)
Midlands
Country:
Zimbabwe
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. Occupant fate unknown.
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